Thursday

The investigation that led to this week’s arrest of Julian Bliesath, 23, of the 400 block of Colonial Drive, East Greenville, was sparked by members of the community.

Residents complained to Upper Perkiomen police about possible drug trafficking by Bliesath at his home, according to District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.

“I think it is important to highlight the fact that this case got started because of the community,” Ferman said Thursday. “So often, people in the community have information, see things, are frustrated with those things.”

“If they act on them and share that information, then like we did in this case, we can stop the nuisance,” said Ferman.

Bliesath, who has been held at the county prison in lieu of $75,000 cash bail since his arrest Tuesday, is charged with possessing heroin with the intent to sell it, endangering the welfare of children and other drug-related charges. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5.

Following up on the complaints from the community and the results of their own investigation, police and members of the county district attorney’s drug task force on Oct. 29 went to serve two search and seizure warrants, one for Bliesath’s residence and another for an address in Upper Hanover from where he allegedly also was selling heroin.

When authorities went to serve the warrant at his residence, Bliesath detected police in the area and bolted but not before trying to flush packets of heroin down the toilet, according to the criminal complaint. He left his girlfriend, two stepchildren and his own child (all under the age of 6) to deal with police, the complaint said.

Law enforcement officers found him hiding in a nearby vehicle.

Overall, authorities seized 336 packets of heroin from the two residences, including a handful of packets of heroin that were flushed down the toilet that were retrieved by a plumber, according to Ferman. Police also seized multiple cellphones and drug packaging materials from the residences, the complaint said.

Ferman did not immediately know the total combined weight of the heroin or its street value.

“What I do know is that 336 bags of heroin translates to me as 336 times that people could be using this really toxic substance,” said Ferman, adding she did not know how widespread Bliesath’s “customer” base was.

The child endangering charges stem from Bliesath exposing the three children found at his residence to his alleged drug trafficking operation.

Ferman also pointed out that there was a school bus stop within 100 feet of Bliesath’s Colonial Drive home.